diaries, which were chiefly records of 

 his daily studies and observations, and 

 in his correspondence, from which the 

 " history " is in fact made up. From 

 these it is evident that his habits were 

 secluded and that he was strongly 

 attached to the charms of rural life. 

 He says the greater part of his time 

 was spent in literary occupations, and 

 especially in the study of nature. He 

 was born July i8, 1720, in the house 

 in which he died. His father was his 

 first instructor in natural history, and 

 to his brother Thomas, a fellow of the 

 Royal Society, he was indebted for 

 many suggestions for his work. It 

 is also to his brother's influence that 

 we owe the publication of the book, as 

 it required much persuasion to induce 

 the philosopher to pass through the 

 ordeal of criticism, " having a great 

 dread of Reviewers," those incorrigible 

 betes noirs of authors. His brother 

 promising himself to review the work 

 in the "Gentleman's Magazine," White 

 reluctantly consented to its publication. 

 The following short abstract from the 

 review will show its quality, as well as 

 suggest a possible answer to the current 

 question propounded by students of the 

 census. 



" Contemplative persons see with 

 regret the country more and more 

 deserted every day, as they know that 

 every well-regulated family of property 

 which quits a village to reside in a 

 town, injures the place that is forsaken 

 in material circumstances. It is with 

 pleasure, therefore, we observe that so 

 rational an employment of leisure hours 

 as the study of nature promises to 

 become popular, since whatever adds 

 to the number of rural amusements, 

 and consequently counteracts the 

 allurements of the metropolis is, on this 

 consideration, of national importance." 



It is to be feared, however, that 

 many stronger influences than this of 

 the study of nature will be necessary 

 to keep the young men of the present 

 day from the great cities. Indeed, 



modern naturalists themselves spend 

 the greater part of their lives at the 

 centers of knowledge and only make 

 temporary sallies into the woods and 

 fields to gather data. White was 

 a noble pioneer. The very minute- 

 ness — almost painful — of his observa- 

 vation required him to occupy 

 himself for days and weeks and 

 months with what to the average 

 mind would seem of the slightest 

 importance. As an example of 

 his patient investigation, his fam- 

 ous study of the tortoise may 

 be given. It was more than thirty years 

 old when it came into his possession, 

 and for many years — perhaps twenty 

 — we find White watching the habits 

 of the interesting old reptile, until we 

 may assume, he knew all about him 

 and his species. 



There are over three hundred and 

 fifty difierent species of animals and 

 birds treated by White, most of them 

 exhaustively ; the beach tree, the elm, 

 and the oak are described and watched 

 from year to year ; and the geology 

 and fossil remains of Selborne district 

 are presented. We have daily accounts 

 of the weather, information of the first 

 tree in leaf, the appearance of the first 

 fungi and the plants first in blossom. 

 He tells us when mosses vegetate, when 

 insects first appear and disappear, 

 when birds are first seen and when 

 they migrate — and a thousand other 

 things ; all in a style of such simplicity, 

 united with rare scholarship, that it is 

 well worth the attention and imita- 

 tion of students of the English 

 language. White was educated at 

 Oxford. He had frequent opportunities, 

 'tis said, of accepting college livings, 

 but his fondness for his native village 

 made him decline all preferment. To 

 this we owe " Selborne " of which Dr. 

 Beardmore, a distinguished scholar, 

 made the prophetic remark to a 

 nephew of White's : Your uncle has 

 sent into the world a publication with 

 nothing to attract attention to it but 



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